, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
Saturday morning’s “Out of the Darkness” suicide prevention and awareness walk at Cardinal Field involved more than 300 people and raised more than $14,000.
That far exceeded the initial goal of 75 people and $5,000. “
“It’s so exciting to see people come together for this,” said Angela Nolz, one of the event organizers.
Funds raised will support research to prevent suicide, community education and a curriculum for students about suicide awareness and brain health.
As people gathered at Cardinal Field Saturday, they picked up colored beads to wear around their necks. Each color represented a different reason for “why we walk.”
The different colored beads symbolized memories of friends, children, parents and others.
Kevin Aaker with St. Catherine Church led the group in an invocation at the start of the walk.
“We have an opportunity today to start making a difference. We have an opportunity to start a change in society’s view of the value of life. By being here today you’re telling that the life of others are important to you. That is a sign of hope,” Aaker said.
“It’s time to become a people of hope. A people who value all life, regardless of our differences. Regardless of a person’s physical or mental state. … We need to let them know they are loved. Let them know they’re important. Let them know there’s help. Let them know there’s hope.
“I’d like to challenge the community to consider your words before you express your thoughts. Can you say them in a way that will improve the life of those who hear them?”
The Luv1LuvAll Brain Health group organized the “Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk” on Saturday with support through The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Local businesses and organizations supported the event with money and donations.
The purpose of the walks (in many communities nationwide) is to increase awareness in order to help save lives.
Sanford Luverne behavioral health specialist Angela Nolz said she was encouraged to see the strong local participation Saturday. “We are thrilled to be able to host our first walk in Luverne. We have a tremendous crowd and I’m so thrilled to have our community come together.”
She said the walk is to acknowledge loss, to show support, to show solidarity and to end the stigma of mental health and asking for help.
Many were there to simply remember their loved ones who took their own lives.
Luverne High School student Mary Opitz said she was there for her friend Dani Gacke who died several years ago. “It’s really nice to have it here in Luverne, especially since it would have been her senior year. She was on the track team, too, so it’s kind of bittersweet that it’s here.”
Eli Radtke also was there to remember Gacke. “We’re here for our friend Dani. To remember her. It’s good; it brings us closer. Dani’s death affected all of us.”
Riley Cowell walked to remember his brother, Zach. His message about suicide: “It’s not worth it. You matter in the world. Everyone needs love.”
Luverne’s Zach Wermager was one of the speakers who agreed to share his experience at Saturday’s event.
He said he at first wrote his speech about his brother who took his own life at age 15. And he also wrote about his friend who died from suicide just a year later.
“Truth is no one knows what’s in a person’s heart,” Wermager said.
But on Saturday afternoon he instead shared his own story about his struggle with mental illness. “I told myself if I ever felt like suicide was an option for me, I’d seek help,” Wermager said.
“But even with this promise I struggled to reach out. I felt as though therapy would make me less of a man, that asking for help would be a sign of weakness.”
The event wrapped up with a live-streamed message from Kevin Hines, who lived after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.